


dreaming of mercy street

by irlbyron



Category: One Day at a Time (TV 2017)
Genre: Angst, Domestic Violence, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Self-Harm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-17
Updated: 2019-02-20
Packaged: 2019-10-30 14:24:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17830256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/irlbyron/pseuds/irlbyron
Summary: Schneider hasn’t been showing up as much for dinner with the Alvarez’s; nor has he been dropping in and out with his usual casual attitude and weird anecdotes. And when he does show up, it’s not the Schneider everyone knows and loves. He’s withdrawn, stiff, leaves early, and dresses in sweltering clothing no matter how hot it is in the LA summer. Penelope is gonna find out what’s going on even if it kills her.





	1. Chapter 1

Another night, another dinner for the Alvarez’s. Lydia was buzzing around the kitchen as per usual, cooking up a storm. The kids were chatting and Penelope was setting up the table, but even with her focus on the task she couldn’t help but notice the distinct absence of Schneider. He’d been showing up less and less, and when he did show up he didn’t stay as long as usual. Something seemed a little off, but Penelope was chalking it up to a new girlfriend or just one of those Schneider things. But he was due to arrive tonight so hopefully Penelope could have a chat with him. 

 

Sure enough, as everyone sat down, a soft rap came from the door and Schneider entered. Penelope stood up, watching Schneider amble in slowly, almost seeming to limp. 

 

“Ah, Schneider! Late again!” Lydia called out in greeting, waving from the table. 

 

“Hey Schneider” Penelope greeted warmly, walking up to Schneider to greet him as he stood in the doorway still, head ducked away from them all. 

 

“Hey Lydia, hey Penelope” Schneider replied quietly, offering a small smile but little else beyond that. 

 

Penelope frowned, reaching Schneider and gently tilting his head up to examine him. She immediately noticed the (unskilled) application of concealer around his left eye. It was smudged a little and a dark purple seemed to bloom beneath it, despite the thick frames obstructing it. 

 

“Schneider?” Penelope asked softly, reaching up to stroke his cheek in worry. 

 

“It’s nothing” Schneider dismissed. “Smacked it working on a tenant’s pipes. Don’t worry” He said, heading to his spot at the table. 

 

Schneider walked stiffly, and sat down with an imperceptible wince and then smiled at everyone as they resumed their chatter. Penelope bit her lip but didn’t say anything, sitting down and joining in with the gossip and exchanges that went around the dinner table. 

 

The dinner went as well as usual, Schneider still chatting with everyone although he was still quieter and without his usual whimsical anecdotes. When it came time for dinner to end, Penelope ushered Schneider into the kitchen as everyone else went to their separate rooms. 

 

“Hey Schneider, can I talk to you for a sec?” Penelope asked, already bringing Schneider into the kitchen so he knew it wasn’t really optional. 

 

Schneider just nodded, leaning against the kitchen counter with a painful grimace that Penelope noticed but chose not to comment on. 

 

“So what’s going on with you. Is there someone new in your life? You’ve been around a little less and I’ve just been wondering” Penelope said, smiling. 

 

Schneider gave the most miniscule of smiles and shrugged. “Kinda… I mean, yeah, I did. We’ve just been spending a lot of time together and stuff, you know?” He murmured, scratching his neck awkwardly, shuffling on his feet. 

 

“Oh well that’s great Schneider! What’s her name, hmm?” Penelope asked, grinning widely and patting Schneider’s shoulder. 

 

Schneider folded his arms and shuffled some more, staring at the ground and avoiding Penelope’s eyes. “Uh… his name is Jerry” He admitted quietly. 

 

Penelope blinked in surprise for a moment, but then ruffled Schneider’s hair and laughed. “Oh well good for you! You should bring him around sometime! We’d love to have you both for dinner. Just don’t forget your family!” 

 

Schneider blinked a bit, his eyes seeming to water. He briefly scratched at his makeup covered eye, a nervous tic, then coughed and turned away. “Thanks Penelope. Uh, I better get back. Jerry’s gonna be waiting on me” He explained, voice shaking a little. 

 

Before Penelope could get another word out, Schneider was already out the door after waving a hand in greeting. Penelope bit her lip; she was glad to hear about Schneider’s new guy but something was still off… the limping, the black eye, the withdrawal… Maybe she’d bring it up at therapy next week. 

 

Sure enough, at Penelope’s next meeting, Pam barely had time to ask her before she blurted out her worries. 

 

“I’m worried about Schneider… there’s something off about him” Penelope immediately exclaimed, sighing and looking around at her friends. 

 

“Well, we’re all worried about Schneider. Dude seems a little off all the time, even if he is a major hottie” Jill laughed, patting Penelope’s shoulder. 

 

Penelope shook her head, looking sincerely at the group. “No, I’m serious. He told me he has a new boyfriend now, which is great, but he’s acting so weird. He’s being really close off and he’s so quiet. And… the other day, last week… I think he had a black eye. It was under makeup but it was still pretty obvious. And it looked like he was in pain when he walked and sat down…”

 

Ramona frowned, the atmosphere in the room now serious and cold. “Do you think he’s being abused?” She asked. 

 

Penelope sighed and rested her face in her hands. “I don’t know… maybe the injury and Jerry aren’t related, maybe I’m overreacting cause Schneider’s dating a guy now… but something’s really really wrong with him and I don’t know what to do.”

 

…

 

Penelope returned home that evening, with a firm resolve to talk to Schneider about what was going on. She parked with ease and as she got out, she spotted Schneider standing at the corner of the street, smoking a cigarette. Odd, she didn’t know he smoked, but it wasn’t that bad, she supposed. 

 

Schneider was stood, smoking, with his free hand clutching himself tightly like a security blanket. Penelope was about to go say hi but before she could, a tall (taller than Schneider) man stepped up to him and put a possessive hand around his waist and tugged the cigarette from his hand. Schneider flinched a little, but the man (clearly Jerry) was insistent and he pulled Schneider roughly inside the building before Penelope could even properly process what she saw. Oh nuh uh, she thought to herself. This Jerry was trouble. Schneider didn’t deserve to be pulled around like that, so Penelope decided that tomorrow was the day she would talk to Schneider. Before this could escalate. 

 

Tomorrow soon rolled around and sure enough Penelope found herself at Schneider’s door. She’d seen his car pull up outside and saw him walk into the apartment, limping and looking down at the ground, so he was home and she needed to have this talk now. Penelope knocked firmly a few times, and folded her arms. She heard some clattering, stumbling and then silence, obviously Schneider trying to hide. 

 

“Schneider! I know you’re in there, I can hear you” Penelope sighed, knocking again. 

 

There was a moment of silence, then some more rustling and bustling, then the door opened a crack, the chain still on. 

 

“Penelope, uh, hi. What’s up?” Schneider asked, in a terrible attempt to be casual. 

“Schneider, we gotta talk. Let me in” Penelope said firmly, but without threat or anger. 

 

Schneider didn’t move, clearly contemplating closing the door and ignoring her. But he saw the determined look on Penelope’s face and knew there was no way out of this, so he sighed and took the chain off the latch and opened the door. Penelope immediately gasped upon seeing Schneider in full. He had a blooming black eye, clearly fresh, and there was dried blood under his bruised and possibly broken nose. Not to mention the way his usual form-fitting clothing now hung loosely off his frame. 

 

“Oh Schneider…” Penelope whispered. “Is… is he gone?” 

 

Schneider turned away, wiping his nose with his hand. “He’s at work…” He mumbled, gesturing for Penelope to enter. 

 

The apartment was a mess, messier than usual. Furniture was toppled and several holes has been punched in the walls, presumably not the work of weak little Schneider who couldn’t lift a tool box if it was too heavy. 

 

“Shit, Schneider… what’s being going on here?” Penelope asked, following Schneider to the couch. 

 

Schneider collapsed on the couch, then gasped in pain and tried to shift his seat. Penelope was immediately by his side as tears filled his eyes. 

 

“Sorry, sorry, I’m okay, I’m sorry” Schneider babbled, raising his arm like a shield in reflex. 

 

“Hey, hey, it’s okay. Tell me what’s going on, Patrick” Penelope soothed. 

 

Schneider shook his head and raised a trembling hand to wipe his nose again. “It’s my fault, I shouldn’t’ve gotten him angry, I pissed him off…” he mumbled. 

 

“No Schneider, no, no. This is not your fault” Penelope murmured. “Is it Jerry doing this to you?”

 

Schneider bit his lip and his face fell more, tears starting to fall. He nodded mutely, unable to look Penelope in the eye. “I didn’t mean to make him mad…” He whispered. “He was so nice at first… the first guy I’ve dated in like a while, a year or so… then a switch just flipped and he…” He cut himself off, the crying becoming too intense for him to continue. 

 

“Oh Schneider, it’s gonna be okay” Penelope said, wrapping her arms around him and holding him close. “It’s not your fault, none of this is your fault, you understand? Whatever he did to you, it’s not your fault.”

 

That just made Schneider cry harder, and he shook his head over and over. “No, no, I’m dumb… I said I’d be home on time and I was late then I just kept saying stupid stuff. I’d hit me too.”

 

“Ay dios mio, you know that’s not true. C’mon, you’re gotta come home with me, Schneider. You can’t stay here until we can keep Jerry away” Penelope said, helping Schneider to stand. 

 

Schneider hunched in on himself but nodded, letting Penelope lead him into his bedroom. Penelope grabbed him a duffel bag and patted his arm. “C’mon, grab your stuff.”

 

Schneider nodded mutely and started grabbing clothes from around his room, mostly from the floor. HIs clothes were all a little musty and some had a few spots of blood that Penelope decided not to point out. He also grabbed a first-aid kit and some other items that Penelope couldn’t identify. 

 

“Alright, I’m good” Schneider finally sighed. He tried to hoist the bag on his shoulder but cried out in pain, dropping it and clutching at his forearm. 

 

Penelope immediately went to him and held his arm up for him. “Hey, hey, what’s happening? What’s wrong?”

 

Schneider shook his head, grimacing as the pain throbbed through his arm. He jerked away violently from Penelope, pulling his sleeves over his hands.  “It’s nothing, I fell the other day…” He stopped talking seeing the skeptical look on Penelope’s face, then sighed. “Jerry… I made him made and he kinda… threw me against the wall and I tried to stop it. It just really hurt after that. I don’t wanna talk about it. And it’s fine, I don’t need it set or anything.”

 

Penelope was skeptical, very skeptical, but she couldn’t find it in her to argue with the frightened man and instead just nodded and took Schneider’s bag, ushering him out the door. “Got your keys? We don’t want Jerry finding you or being able to unlock anything.”

 

Schneider just pulled on the keys on his belt. Penelope nodded resolutely and took Schneider out of the painful apartment scene and downstairs. She took them both inside and closed the door. Scheider stood hunched inward the whole time, staying silent even when Elena, Alex, and Lydia greeted them not 5 seconds after they’d stepped inside the Alvarez home. 

 

“Schneider! What’re you doing around this late?” Elena asked, grinning as she grabbed something from the kitchen. 

 

Schneider looked taken aback and didn’t speak, but Penelope intervened. “It’s nothing, Elena” She said quickly and ushered Schneider away to her bedroom, giving each family member pointed looks to stay quiet. 

 

Schneider followed her and was sat on the bed while Penelope fussed around and took his bag from him. Schneider nodded gratefully but didn’t move much, seeming to stare into the distance. 

 

“Schneider? You with me, buddy? Everyone’s gonna have questions, what do you want me to tell them?” Penelope asked, crouching in front of Schneider. 

 

Schneider bit his swollen lip then sighed. “You can tell them, I guess. I’d rather… Can I be in the room? I just can’t say it again, don’t make me say it again” He begged. 

 

“Of course, of course. C’mon, we’ll talk in the living room” Penelope soothed, helping Schneider up and to the couch. 

 

Elena and Alex stood in the kitchen, murmuring nervously to each other. Lydia was in her room, tidying up to distract herself from the obvious elephant in the room. Penelope sat Schneider down and then called the family. 

 

“Elena, Alex. Mami. We gotta talk to you” Penelope said gently, letting Schneider sit in the corner shielded from everyone else by herself. “This isn’t my story to tell but Schneider asked that I do. It’s an important conversation.”

 

Schneider still barely moved, staring at the floor trying to ignore the stares he could feel on him. Elena, Alex and Lydia all sat on the couch, fiddling with their fingernails. Penelope looked at Schneider, who finally nodded, and Penelope took a deep breath. 

 

“Schneider… Schneider has been dating someone who hasn’t been treating him very well. That’s why Schneider’s not been around much. Isn’t it?” Penelope explained, glancing back to Schneider. 

 

Schneider nodded. “I’m sorry” He mumbled. 

 

Penelope shook her head. “No, Schneider, don’t be sorry. Schneider has no reason to be sorry. See, what happened to Schneider is not his fault. No-one ever deserves to be hit or hurt in any way. And I need to have this conversation with you two, Alex and Elena, because this can happen to anyone. Even old Schneider here.”

 

Schneider nodded then cleared his throat. “It… doesn’t start off with the really scary stuff. Cause otherwise, you know, you’d leave quickly. It started when he wouldn’t let me see my friends as much. He started to check my phone without my permission. And I let him do that cause I figured it wasn’t that crazy. But then I just got worse and worse and then he started hitting me and doing… worse stuff.”

 

Schneider stopped, a hand over his mouth and gestured at Penelope, who nodded and continued the conversation. “The point is, this isn’t Schneider’s fault, and you gotta look out for little signs when you’re in a relationship.”

 

Elena and Alex just nodded in silence, not even commenting on the fact that Schneider was dating a man. Lydia was the same, staying quiet as Penelope rubbed Schneider’s back as he fought off tears. 

 

“Alright you two, time for bed. If you have any questions, try and save them for the morning” Penelope ordered, and Elena and Alex nodded and went to bed.

 

Only Penelope, Lydia and Schneider were left and Lydia moved closer to Schneider on the couch. “Schneider… who is this man? I will kill him myself” Lydia said in all seriousness, patting Schneider’s knee. 

 

Schneider laughed and hiccuped, wiping his eyes. “It doesn’t matter. I’ll have to tell him soon and… and he’s gonna be mad when he gets home and it’s locked and I’m not there and he’s gonna find me and-”

 

Schneider started to hyperventilate and he tugged at his hair painfully. Penelope immediately crouched down in front of him and grabbed his hands. She knew a panic attack all too well when she saw one, and Schneider was clearly terrified of what was going to happen later on. 

 

“No, Schneider, it’s gonna be okay” Penelope soothed. “We’ll figure out a way to get rid of Jerry, and he’ll go home tonight, won’t he?”

 

Schneider nodded, tears still falling through his hiccups and rapid breaths. “He’ll go home but he’s gonna come back and fuck I should’ve just stayed…”

 

“No! Schneider you mustn't stay! No man will ever hit my family no matter what!” Lydia declared angrily, stomping to the door and locking every lock to prove her point. 

 

Schneider laughed again but his breathing was starting to slow again. “Thank you Lydia…” He managed to stutter out. 

 

“See? It’s okay, Schneider” Penelope murmured. “You can stay here as long as you need and we’re going to get rid of Jerry. He’ll never touch you again. You understand?”

 

Schneider nodded, finally managing to smile at Penelope and Lydia. Penelope smiled back and patted Schneider’s arm. “I need to take a look at your injuries, Schneider. I know you don’t wanna but I gotta see.”

 

Schneider’s face fell and he shifted uncomfortably. “I can’t… not all of them. J-just one I can’t show you. And don’t make me say what it is.”

 

“I understand. Show me as many as you can, okay?” Penelope ordered, fetching her and Schneider’s first aid kits.

 

Lydia patted Schneider’s hair and held him close. “You’ll be ok, pobrecito. Penelope will fix you up.”

 

Penelope soon returned and Schneider sighed. He was really gonna be in for a lecture after this, but he needed it over and done with. He slowly removed his hoodie, biting his lip and fighting the tears in his eyes. Penelope watched and let out a small gasp again. Schneider’s left arm was battered black and blue, and what was more it was covered in cuts, some healed and some less than a day old. No wonder he hadn’t wanted to show her. 

 

“Alright Schneider, let’s get all this patched up” Penelope sighed, grabbing her rubbing alcohol and band-aids. “Do you take care of these?” She asked, gesturing at Schneider’s cuts. 

 

Schneider nodded mutely and held out his arm, avoiding everyone’s eyes. Penelope rubbed over the cuts as gently as she could, but some were deep and clearly stung. Lydia kept uncharacteristically silent as the scene took place, until she stood up and fetched an ice pack from the kitchen for Schneider’s battered arm. 

 

“Here, Schneider. You’ll heal soon” She said softly, stroking his hair. 

 

Penelope finished up her first-aid and smiled. “That’ll do for now. It’s time for bed, I think. Is the couch okay?”

 

Schneider laughed hoarsely. “Anything’s better than where I’ve been.”

 

...


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> you all wanted another chapter so!!!! have!!!!! i know it's not long but it's smth. warnings for self-harm and domestic violence.

It took awhile for everyone to fall asleep, what with the restless worrying on everyone’s part about Schneider. The man himself lay awake on the couch for hours, his mind running over everything that had happened. The thoughts pulled him out of bed at around 2am, and he stumbled to the bathroom and flicked on the light, not bothering to close the door. His arms itched painfully and he stared at himself in the mirror. 

 

Schneider’s head hurt and his arms were throbbing from the alcohol and the dressings. He slowly peeled the bandages off, staring down at the cuts and scars. In his daze, he didn’t notice how Elena started to walk up in the hallway behind him. But she was sharp, and she was smart enough to stay quiet so as not to startle the traumatized man. Instead she watched for a moment, watched him grip at the sink and fight the tears in his eyes. She saw the scars on his arms, and her heart fell. There were kids at school who did the same thing, and she knew how much they suffered inside that the only way to stop the pain for a moment was to inflict it on themselves. Elena understood. She padded silently back to bed, fighting the tears of sympathy that wanted to fall. 

 

Schneider stood shakily at the sink for a moment longer and wrapped his arms up again. He headed back to the couch and curled up under the blankets, and eventually fell into a restless slumber. The sun rose but he stayed fast asleep until Lydia awoke. Instead of her usual loud mornings, she simply went and prepared breakfast and coffee before gently shaking Schneider awake. 

 

“Schneider, I have your c afé Cubano. Wakey wakey” She murmured, ruffling his hair and setting his coffee down on the table in front of him. 

 

Schneider mumbled a few times and sat up slowly. He winced at the pain in his arms and immediately reached out of the coffee. He sipped slowly and finally looked at Lydia and Penelope who’d just entered as well. 

 

“Thanks Lydia” Schneider mumbled softly, rubbing his dusty eyes and trying to smile at everyone walking in. 

 

Elena and Alex quickly joined the family and Schneider curled up on the couch self-consciously, folding his arms under the blanket. It was the weekend, so Schneider knew there wasn’t anyway to escape another conversation, should one take place. Elena smiled, and sat next to him on the couch. 

 

“Hey Schneider! Do you wanna play video games or something today? I don’t think there’s any work around the building today, so?” She offered kindly, trying to keep things normal and pleasant for poor Schneider. 

 

Schneider smiled and nodded, reaching for the coffee again still hiding under the blankets. “Uh, yeah… that would be nice. I’ll have a shower and get dressed and stuff” He murmured. 

Elena smiled and patted his shoulder, standing up to go grab breakfast. She nudged Penelope quickly, and whispered to her. “Mom… can we talk for just a sec?” 

 

Penelope nodded, making sure Schneider didn’t notice. Her and Elena had their breakfast with Alex and Lydia while Schneider sat on the couch sipping his coffee. As they stood, Elena and Penelope nodded at each other and disappeared to Penelope’s bedroom. 

 

Once inside, Penelope folded her arms and sat on the edge of the bed. “I take it you have questions. About Schneider, I’m guessing?” She said softly. 

 

Elena nodded, sitting next to her mom and sighing. “I… I got up last night, and I saw Schneider in the bathroom” She murmured, picking at her fingernails. “I saw his arms… ay, mami, his arms… they looked terrible. It was all bruised and covered in…” She cut herself off, wiping her nose a little and taking a deep breath. 

 

Penelope nodded and rubbed Elena’s shoulder. “I know, I know. Schneider’s having a really, really bad time right now. He’s very hurt” She explained, giving her daughter time to collect her thoughts. 

 

Elena shook her head and stared down at her lap. “I don’t understand how someone could ever do this to him. Like, I read about women’s rights and how abuse works but seeing it in real life, with someone I care about is so hard!” 

 

“I know baby, I know. It’s really hard for us all, to see Schneider like this. But we gotta put that aside, at least in front of him. We gotta support him through this” Penelope explained softly. 

 

Elena nodded. “I understand. I… I know people at school who do that thing to themselves. I know it’s cause they’re in pain. I wanna help Schneider with all that and stuff. That’s why I offered to hang with him today. Keep him distracted and all that.”

 

“That’s my girl. Now let’s go see him, take care of him” Penelope said, helping Elena up for a big hug, then taking her to the living room. 

 

Schneider was still under the blanket, his empty coffee cup in front of him. He was gripping his phone tight as notifications went off, but he didn’t seem to be aware of that or anything around him as a matter of fact. He seemed very zoned out, trying to escape into his head. 

 

“Schneider?” Penelope asked, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. 

 

Schneider jumped a little, but settled down quickly and just waved his phone at Penelope. “It’s Jerry” He whispered. “He’s been calling and texting me all night and all morning. I haven’t replied but he’s really freakin’ mad at me.”

 

Elena and Penelope’s brows both creased in sympathy and they sat on the couch next to Schneider. Elena took his hand and held it gently, and Penelope took the phone and placed it faced down on the table. Tears grew in his eyes, but Elena squeezed his hand in reassurance. 

 

“It’s gonna be okay, Schneider. If you think he’s getting anyway near you and your family. He’s got, what, three crazy women and Alex in his way. It’s not happening” Elena said, smiling at Schneider. 

 

Schneider laughed softly and nodded. “I would never let him near you guys. It’s just me he’s mad at, but I wouldn’t even let him in the building if you guys were here. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be putting all of you through this. It’s my problem, not yours.”

 

“Ay, Patrick. Anything happens to a member of this family, it’s all our thing to help you with. You’re never, ever alone in this. Or anything else” Penelope promised, putting an arm around Elena to pat Schneider’s back. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> again, if there's anything you wanna see if you want a second chapter then just let me know.

**Author's Note:**

> maybe i'll write a sequel maybe i won't. depends. share ur thots and onions why don't u.


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